Work This Out
by sherlock03
Summary: Ron and Hermione fight -- Ron is ready to work it out, but Hermione isn't. It has a song as the influence, but it's not a song fic. Please read and review.


This is a Ron/Hermione fic. They might get OOC, so sorry for that. Also I am from America, and so I hope I didn't "Americanize" it. I really tried not to. I might have a tiny bit though, and so I'm sorry for that too. Please point it out in your review if I did. Thanks.  
  
Oh yeah, words inside of ()s means that Hermione is thinking to herself. And the words inside   
s mean that Ron is thinking to himself.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, or anything else mentioned in here from the book, it all belongs to JKR  
  
Also, the song does not belong to me. It's called "Work This Out" and it's by Jack Ingram (the great texas songwriter).  
  


Work This Out

  
  


**---**

  
  
_I really wanna work this out  
Is there something I gotta do?  
Tell me how to make this right  
'Cuz I gotta get through to you_  
  


**---**

  
  
Ron fell back onto his bed.  
  
"Dammit, dammit, dammit. How the hell could I say that?" he wondered aloud.  
  
He thought of the look on her face. The way her eyes had slowly filled with tears, and moved from tears of sadness to tears of rage. And then she had slapped him. And then told him she never wanted to speak to him again.  
  
Ever again.  
  
Ron wasn't really sure where to go. How to proceed. How to make her love him again.  
  
Because he loved her.  
  
He remembered the day he told Harry that he loved her. The look in Harry's eyes. The look of shock. He remembered what Harry had said. "Yo-you-you love her? L-l-love her?" The way Ron had wanted to take it back. Because he didn't want Harry to hate him.  
  
Because Harry had loved her too.  
  
But that was two years ago.  
  
And now it was seventh year.  
  
And now Harry was with Ginny and he was over Hermione. Which was good. Because Ron needed a lot of help right about now, and he hoped Harry would help him.  
  
So Ron slipped down to the Gryffindor Common Room, where most of the girls gave him dirty looks and there was a lot of whispering as he walked by. He ignored them and went through the portrait hole. He had seen Harry out of his window down near the lake with Ginny.  
  
Harry was walking alongside the lake, hand-in-hand with Ginny. He was so happy. It was spring, he was in his last year at Hogwart's, he had the world's best girlfriend, the dark lord was at the back of his mind, he had a great best friend, he was captain of the house quidditch team, everything was going his way.  
  
He bent down to kiss Ginny, and as their lips met, he marveled at the shock that was sent through him everytime that happened. He wanted to be here for the rest of his life, the warm sun on his back, the wind ruffling his hair, Ginny in his arms, Ron shouting at him because Hermione hated him, a sweet spring breeze -- wait -- Ron shouting? Harry broke away from Ginny, and turned to look at his best friend.  
  
"Harry. I need to speak with you. Now. Privately."  
  
Harry turned to Ginny. "I've got to go with Ron. I'll see you back in the common room later." He kissed her lightly, and turned to go with Ron.  
  
"Well then what've you done now, Ron?"  
  
"Shut up you prat. Come with me and I'll tell you."  
  
Harry and Ron walked farther and farther from the castle, and Ron told Harry the whole long story. About the things he said. And the things she said. And the things they didn't say. And then the biggest thing Ron had said.  
  
"Oi, Ron. I don't know what to tell you. You really screwed up this time. I'll try and talk to her, but you know how she can get."  
  
"Do I ever!"  
  
"Maybe a break would be good for you. Look, I'd love to give you some more friendly compassion, but I've got to meet Ginny. This'll be ok. I promise."  
  
Harry turned and left.  
  


**---**

  
  
_If I could find the right thing to say  
To finally take away your doubt  
'Cuz we can't throw this away  
Yeah, I really wanna work this out_  
  


**---**

  
  
Ron lay awake in bed that night. He didn't understand _what_ would make him say that. It just didn't make any sense. He felt like crying, and as he thought about it, a few hot tears ran down his face. And he sighed again, and he thought back to the day he told Hermione his feelings.  
  
It was fifth year, early in the year, and he and Hermione had spent the day arguing, as usual, although that was not what Ron wanted to be doing at all, he loved her, and wanted to make her happy.  
  
And all day he'd been remembering what Harry had told him he had to do, how he had to tell her eventually, because all the signs of her liking him were there. Ron, being an oblivious male, didn't see them, but they were there.  
  
And it was late, around 11:30, and they were sitting up in the common room, and Hermione was saying...  
  
"Honestly Ron, sometimes I don't know if you care about me at all! All it is all day is make fun of me and bicker with me. All day. And I'm sick of it. You need to start showing me that you care."  
  
"I...I...do, um, you know, um, care. Hermione. It's just -- we've always argued, and I don't understand why that has to change. I just don't."  
  
And Ron remembered how suddenly, after he said that, he understood why it was changing.  
  
They were in love with each other.  
  
And so Ron had suddenly grabbed Hermione and kissed her. A perfect, soft, sweet kiss that would forever stay in Hermione's mind.  
  
And when he pulled away, she had smiled, the biggest smile in the world, and Ron had known what it was then to be happy.  
  
But now, he thought bitterly late that night in seventh year, that was over. She hated him.  
  
Ron rolled over and slept, bitter thoughts invading his dreams.  
  


**---**

  
  
_Tell me there's one thing I can't do again  
I won't do that again  
Now, something we're missing  
We'll find it again_  
  


**---**

  
  
[bam]  
  
Ron woke with a start.  
  
He glanced around the room, looking to see what had made the noise.  
  
Hermione.  
  
"Hermione! Um, hey, can we talk?"  
  
"Ronald, I told you that I never wished to speak to you again, and I meant it. I came to give you your stuff back."  
  
She dumped a large box of things on the floor. Ron noticed his Chudley Cannons cap mixed in with the bunch.  
  
His voice cracked, "Please, please, don't go. Please listen to me."  
  
Hermione was on her way out of the door, but she turned around quickly at the sound of his voice.  
  
"No." She was very blunt.  
  
The door slammed.  
  


**---**

  
  
_Yeah I really wanna work this out  
Right here and now  
Before we have to be apart  
Before we make the same mistakes again  
  
_

**---**

  
  
It was weeks later, and Hermione was still avoiding Ron. She would see him in the hall and turn her head the other way, leave the common room when he came into it, and she was even eating at the other end of the table, although she and Harry were still best friends.  
  
And it was killing Ron.  
  
She had been his only desire, his true love for as long as he could remember. That first day on the Hogwart's Express when she came in looking for that blasted toad. She wasn't even pretty then, just an eleven-year-old girl, with great bushy hair, and big teeth, who was too smart. But he loved her then. He didn't know it at the time, but now he did. It just made sense.  
  
And he'd lost her.  
  
Harry saw this happening to his best friend, and he wanted to help, he wanted to help so much, but whenever he tried to talk to Hermione about it, she said "Do you realize what he said to me?! How could he? And how could you tell me to listen to him?"  
  
And then she'd usually stomp off, muttering things about how Ron and Harry were against her from the beginning.  
  
Harry was tired of hearing the same things from both of them, and he would stop trying to talk to them and make them see how damn stupid they were being, but when he saw the hurt look on Ron's face when Hermione passed by, and felt the quiet love that was bottled inside Hermione for Ron, he knew that he had to continue.  
  
Next to him Ron slammed his head on the table causing pumpkin pasties to go flying at Ginny, who was sitting across from Harry.  
  
Ron sighed. "Will she ever talk to me again?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I'll try to talk to her this afternoon."  
  
"Maybe you should write her a note or something Ron." Ginny said. She was best friends with Hermione and knew a lot more than Harry and Ron did.  
  
Ron made a face. "I'm no good at that love stuff. It's embarrassing to write."  
  
Ginny sighed. "You're hopeless."  
  
Hermione walked by on her way to the library.  
  
Harry jumped up, and ran after her calling, "Hey Herm! Wait up!"  
  


**---**

  
_Yeah I really wanna find a place  
Stop wasting all this time  
I guess what this is all about  
Is I really wanna work this out  
_

**---**

  
  
"And so in closing, Ron is really very sorry about what happened, and I know he wants, no he _needs_ you back in his life. And I know you need him. 'Cuz Herm, you can't deceive me. We've been best friends for a long time now, and I know when you need something. And you need him. Badly."  
  
"No. I do not."  
  
"Herm. Your grades have been dropping. You only made a ninety-eight percent on the last Charms' test."  
  
"Well that has nothing to do with Ron. It's just that I didn't study enough."  
  
"Hermione! Don't kid yourself, you know it's not. Let him talk to you. You know you want to her what he has to say."  
  
"Not really."  
  
"You can't fool me. If I have to take much more of this drama I'm going to be rather upset. Now look, I've got to go to Quidditch practice. Ron's going to be in the common room at one o'clock in the morning tonight. He wants to talk to you. And I know you want to talk to him. And I know you'll be there. No - don't try to tell me otherwise. I can see it in your eyes."  
  
Harry got up and left.  
  
Hermione sighed. She would not go to the common room. Harry didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Stupid prat.  
  


**---**

  
_Tell me there's one thing I can't do again  
I won't do that again  
Something we're missing  
We'll find it again  
  
_

**---**

  
  
Ron sat alone in the seventh year's room. He stared at the blank parchment in front of him. The words just wouldn't come.  
  
He glanced at the picture in front of him. Hermione looked back, and then turned away.  
  
Suddenly the words came.  
  
Hermione,  
Well, I know you pretty much hate me right now, but before you write me off, there's some things you have got to know.  
  
I loved you the minute I saw you. Although I didn't know it then, I did. You captured my eye from the start.  
  
You're so smart and so beautiful, and I was the luckiest guy on earth to be with you, but I said something that changed all of that. And it's killing me. I need you so much.  
,br> Please forgive me. Please Herm, please.  
  
You are simply the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me. And I need you so much. And I want your forgiveness more than anything. And when I have it, even if we can never go back to the way things were, I will be happy. Because then the most wonderful being in the world won't hate me. And that's all I'll ever need.  
  
You.  
  
I love you and hope that one day you'll return my feeling.  
- Ron  
  
  


**---**

  
_Yeah I really wanna work this out  
Right here and now  
Before we have to be apart  
Before we make the same mistakes again  
  
_

**---**

  
  
An owl fluttered in the window.  
  
Hermione's head shot up from her Potions essay.  
  
It wasn't Hedwig or Pig, and those were the only owls that her came for her.  
  
The tawny barn owl, which she recognized as one of the school's, had a bit of parchment tied to it.  
  
She slipped it off, and the owl flew away.  
  
Hermione opened the note and the familiar handwriting leapt up at her.  
  
Ron.  
  
She began to weep as she read what he wrote. He really was sorry. And she had been such a fool. She should have listened to what he had to say long ago.  
  
They had wasted so much time.  
  
(Wait a minute Herm. He hurt you. Those things he said.)  
  
(Yeah, but I can't stand this, this being apart. It's awful. And I've missed his jokes, and our petty arguments so much. I need him as much as he needs me.)  
  
(Are you sure? This could be a big mistake.)  
  
(Could be. But isn't)  
  
Hermione looked at the clock. Nine o'clock. Only four more hours.  
  


**---**

  
  
_Yeah I really wanna find our place  
Stop wasting all this time  
I guess what I'm trying to say  
Is I really wanna work this out_  
  


**---**

  
  
Ron sighed and sank deeper into the chair by the fire. It was one thirty.  
  
  
  
He was walking up the stairs to his room, for some sleep, when he heard his name being called.  
  
He turned slowly and saw Hermione.  
  
"H-Hermione?"  
  
"Yeah. Look Ron, I got your letter. And I'm sorry too."  
  
"For what? I was the one who messed up."  
  
"Yeah, but I should have listened to you sooner. It was stupid of me to keep ignoring you."  
  
"R-really? You mean it?"  
  
"Yes Ron. I realized something. I need you too. I need you in my life so much Ron. You give me so much. And you make it so much better."  
  
Hermione began to cry.  
  
"No, no Herm, please don't cry. Oh I love you so much."  
  
"Ron, I love you too."  
  
She kissed him and Ron once again knew what it was to be happy.  
  


**---**

  
  
_Yeah I guess what this is all about  
Is I really wanna work this out_  
  


**---**

  
  
A/N: Ok I know they might have gotten a little OOC, but this is my first fic, so forgive me. Please review. Flames are accepted, but please only constructive criticism. Thanks!


End file.
